N.C. Highway Patrol commander is stepping down

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Raleigh, N.C. — The commander of the North Carolina's state Highway Patrol is stepping down.

Gov. Beverly Perdue said in a statement Friday that she had a brief conversation with Col. Randy Glover and accepted his resignation.

She did not elaborate on why he stepped down from the position he took less than a year ago. Staff in the governor's office said the meeting was not planned.

The move comes amid Perdue's call for restructuring the agency after a number of cases in the past few years involving troopers who have resigned, been fired or disciplined for inappropriate or questionable conduct, including profiling, drunken driving, animal abuse, sex on duty and inappropriate text messages.

Glover, who in an exclusive interview with WRAL News said he's retiring, said that the recent troubles had become a distraction for the patrol and that his leadership had become a target of critics.

"I finally saw clearly that the target was on me, for whatever reason," he said. "I don't know why it was, but it was on me. These guys and girls out there are doing what they're supposed to do, day in and day out. They don't deserve this."

Glover said some of the issues with the patrol he inherited but pointed out, he didn't tolerate any misconduct.

“If you look at the record for severe disciplinary action and dismissals, I was way above any of the previous commanders for the same period of time,” Glover said.

Perdue met with Glover and other top officials this month, pushing for a restructuring plan to help end the trooper troubles. She said Friday that she will announce a Highway Patrol transition leadership team next week that will include input from outside advisers.

Chrissy Pearson, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Glover, whose last official day on the job will be Sept. 1, will aid in the transition process.

Critics have said that Perdue should have pushed harder by making changes to patrol leadership.

North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer, who last week called for Glover to step down, said Friday that his departure was overdue.

"Col. Glover's decision today is in the best interest of the Highway Patrol and the many fine men and women who wear its uniforms," Fetzer said in a statement. "North Carolina's citizens should be grateful to the members of the media for shedding light on this situation, forcing action that should have been taken weeks ago."

State law mandates that the leadership of the Highway Patrol must come from the governor, the secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety or someone within the ranks of the agency.

Joe Sinsheimer, a Democratic strategist who has spent the past several years as a watchdog of the party, said he'd like to see Perdue ask for changes to the law to open leadership of the patrol to outsiders.

"It is absolutely essential that the next commander be free of the accusations of political patronage and cronyism that dogged Col. Glover during his tenure," Sinsheimer said.

Pearson said Perdue is "open-minded" during the hiring process.

The governor had talked to state Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mike Robertson about overseeing the Highway Patrol, but Pearson said Friday that he would remain at the DMV.

Robertson, who retired as a State Bureau of Investigation agent, is a former Highway Patrol trooper and also previously headed the state Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement.

Glover, whom the governor appointed commander last summer, served with the Highway Patrol since 1980. Prior to heading the agency, he served as director of field operations.

During a press conference earlier this month, he indicated that he thought the press was exacerbating the force's problems. He restricted media access to a meeting with troopers Thursday in Graham.

At that meeting, Glover defended his job to WFMY-TV, saying he didn't tell individuals to make bad choices.

"I'm accountable for this organization," he said. "I'm accountable to make sure everybody understands if they violate our codes and our policies, I'm going to deal with it. And, I have dealt with it because those individuals are no longer with us."

wheelercb59Jul 19, 2010

whats that brown stuff on his nose?

no contestJul 19, 2010

kodac31 - Not true. I can take care of myself and I am not a trouble maker. I don't call or want a cop around unless it is for a legal reason like an accident or emergency. And even then I am very careful about what I say or let my family say. With cops like the ones getting in trouble and DA's putting innocent people in jail without an apology when they're released I keep my distance from potential problems.

kodac31Jul 16, 2010

No Contest -- I would put money on the fact that you are the FIRST ONE to pick up the phone and call 911 every time you hear a twig fall out of a tree and it scares you to death. WHY because you want those COPS that you hate and despise so much to show up and protect you and put their lives on the line just incase that "twig" turned out to be a thug breaking into your house with a gun... No insult to the thug with the gun.

FEJul 16, 2010

"anytime someone questions a member of the NCHP or any other cop they are ready to beat them down and then say they were resisting arrest. The only thing you need to be a cop is a huge chip on your shoulder." - gandalla

What an absolutely RIDICULOUS statement!!!

FE

mulecitybabeJul 16, 2010

WTVD has an open letter from the rank and file patrolmen requesting change. It's an interesting read.

FEJul 16, 2010

"I think that is a huge difference between HP Academy and military boot camp. ... Maybe the patrol needs some good old fashioned military drill instructors." - Tarheelfan13

You OBVIOUSLY have not taken part in any Highway Patrol Basic School training.......

FE

no contestJul 16, 2010

Here we go again. This only firms up my total distrust for cops. It is truly us, the citizens, against them. How can a cop pull someone over and not just let them go with a warning? All you cops want us to forgive your indiscretions. But, after you sleep around, drive drunk, go after another man's woman and let your drunk buddies sleep it off at the station I trust you like I trust a used car salesman. No insult to used car salesman.

kodac31Jul 16, 2010

Notagain--Wrong again! As I said WRAL constanty drums up tabloid style type stories on trooper's or the patrol in gerneral to keep it in the news. The have been doing this now for about 3 years with their personal mission of destroying trooper's lives with rogue reporters. Can you even THINK of the last time you saw a POSITIVE story on WRAL news about a State Trooper or the SHP...hmmmm...didn't think so! WRAL even has their own "NCSHP archive" and guess what it contains ALL trashy negative tabloid biased one-sided reporting mostly from that rogue reporte Amanda Lamb.... Honestly I think WRAL is probably on the take from the trial lawyers and crooked judges!

notagain1903Jul 16, 2010

I HONESTLY believe that WRAL would go out of business if they didn't have the NCSHP to "investigate & negatively report on" constantly and lately on a daily basis. WRAL and reporters such as Amanda Lamb and Cullen Browder have made it a personal mission of theirs to seek & destroy as many Troopers lives and careers as humanly possible. & If WRAL doesn't think they have made a NEGATIVE name for themselves in doing so they are crazy...WRAL, yall are known as the Law enforcement officer Hating news agency who is biased in your tabloid reporting. WRAL--Get a life & try reporting on real news!kodac31

I guess the time tested saying applies here.... "If you didn't do it then there is nothing to report on" The fix is so simple but yet can not be done by the people in place now. The creed that we as vetrans took to faith and stood for has more meaning than an egotistical law mans oath..... so sad the times we live in!

Tarheelfan13Jul 16, 2010

Well to be honest kodac31 someone made a good point with the community college premise. Sure the Academy may be "longer" but there is a huge argument to be revealed that being able to go to your home on the weekends is more manageable stress wise then having to go three straight months 24/7 in a nonstop military stressful environment. And what you guys are failing to bring up also is how military members even after basic training go to the MOS school for their profession which still has elements of military training. Just a little foods for thought.